ReadWrite - droneshttp://readwrite.com/tag/drones
enCopyright 2015 Wearable World Inc.http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rssTue, 31 Mar 2015 15:03:13 -0700Why Drone Regulations Are Taking Forever<!-- tml-version="2" --><p>Amazon is arguing that the Federal Aviation Administration took so long to approve its test drone, the model in question has become obsolete. It said as much during a Tuesday <a href="http://www.commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=Hearings&amp;ContentRecord_id=edf8ac57-d9a5-4bf8-9938-2017a3e89fd0&amp;ContentType_id=14f995b9-dfa5-407a-9d35-56cc7152a7ed&amp;Group_id=b06c39af-e033-4cba-9221-de668ca1978a">testimony before a Senate subcommittee</a>. </p><p>"While the FAA was considering our applications for testing, we innovated so rapidly that the [drone] approved last week by the FAA has become obsolete,” said Paul Misener, Amazon's vice president for Global Public Policy. “We don’t test it anymore. We’ve moved on to more advanced designs that we already are testing abroad."</p><blockquote tml-render-layout="inline"><p><strong>See also: </strong><a href="http://readwrite.com/2015/03/20/amazon-prime-air-faa-exemption-drone-delivery"><strong>Amazon's FAA Exemption Doesn't Make Prime Air Any More Real</strong></a></p></blockquote><p>The FAA took a year and a half to approve Amazon’s particular drone model, which is a lengthy amount of time in the technology world. According to Misener, it’s only the U.S. that has given Amazon this amount of hassle. </p><p>“Nowhere outside of the United States have we been required to wait more than one or two months to begin testing, and permission has been granted for operating a category of UAS [unmanned aircraft system], giving us room to experiment and rapidly perfect designs without being required to continually obtain new approvals for specific UAS vehicles,” he said during the hearing.</p><blockquote tml-render-layout="inline"><p><strong>See also: </strong><a href="http://readwrite.com/2014/03/07/faa-commercial-drones-regulation-lacks-authority-federal-judge"><strong>Why Commercial Drones Are Stuck In Regulatory Limbo</strong></a></p></blockquote><p>Commercial drones have been locked up in regulatory limbo in the United States ever since their invention. It’s a far cry from other countries, where drones are being deployed and tested at much faster rates. According to an FAA spokesperson speaking to ReadWrite, this is a response to the especially complicated U.S. aviation market, which includes both commercial carriers and a vast number of private aircraft:</p><blockquote tml-render-layout="inline"><p>We recognize industry’s urgency and understand the many amazing applications for UAS technology. However, the United States has the largest, most complex airspace in the world with—unlike other countries—a large general aviation fleet that we must consider when planning UAS integration, since those aircraft and small UAS may occupy the same airspace. Also, different laws and regulatory structures in other nations may allow them to act more quickly to approve certain UAS operations.</p></blockquote><p>The spokesperson went on to say it was necessary for the FAA to have knowledge of exact makes and models of commercial drones in order to correctly assess them. That’s why the FAA claims it can’t approve a category of drones, just individual models.</p><blockquote><p>Everything we do is safety-oriented, and we base our approvals for unmanned aircraft operations on an assessment of the risks to other aircraft and to people and property on the ground. To make that risk assessment, we need sufficient information on a company’s planned operations and aircraft, and we have been working diligently with Amazon to get the information we need.</p></blockquote><p>The FAA is fighting against the tide of public opinion to correct “misconceptions and misinformation about unmanned aircraft system (UAS) regulations.” <a href="http://www.faa.gov/news/updates/?newsId=76240">In an article</a> published last year, the organization responds to assertions such as “Myth… The FAA is lagging behind other countries in approving commercial drones.”</p><p>Responses from the FAA don’t seem to be placating drone advocates. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) is the latest lawmaker to suggest <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/ryanmac/2015/03/23/senator-cory-booker-to-introduce-commercial-drone-legislation-following-faa-amazon-ruling/">introducing temporary legislation</a> to speed up the commercial use of drones. He aptly calls it the “Commercial UAV Modernization Act.”</p><p><em>Photo via Amazon</em></p>The FAA justifies itself.http://readwrite.com/2015/03/25/faa-drone-regulation-taking-forever
http://readwrite.com/2015/03/25/faa-drone-regulation-taking-foreverWebWed, 25 Mar 2015 13:31:02 -0700Lauren OrsiniDrones Are Getting Smarter—And More Useful<!-- tml-version="2" --><p>Drone copters are starting to get smart&nbsp;enough to take on complex tasks with little input.</p><p>The drone startup <a href="http://matternet.us/">Matternet</a>, for instance,&nbsp;will release its first product on March 30—a quadcopter capable of carrying a kilogram of cargo up to 20 kilometers (that's 2.2 pounds over 12.5 miles).&nbsp;The drone, which is a bit larger than the consumer variety, is capable of carrying out autonomous flights at the push of a button.</p><p>Using an associated app, you simply select a nearby drone and a destination. Matternet’s software determines the best route and spots any obstacles, such as a no-fly zone around an airport. Then the drone takes off—no further input needed.</p><p>Matternet CEO&nbsp;Andreas Raptopoulos&nbsp;sees potential for the drone among on-demand delivery services like Instacart and Postmates, which could use them to quickly send off items to customers. But it could also be used to fly blood, or even a transplant organ, from one hospital to another.</p><p>The only thing stopping it currently are FAA rules forbidding drones to be operated out of sight of the pilot. That could change soon if the FAA decides to grant more relaxed guidelines for their operation. (Though that's <a href="http://readwrite.com/2015/02/16/faa-drone-rules-draft-proposal-finally">very much in question</a> right now.)</p><div tml-image="ci01c9db90d0012a83" tml-image-caption="&amp;nbsp;Consumer software lead Chris Hinkle and CEO Andreas Raptopoulos with their Matternet drone at SXSW." tml-render-layout="inline"><figure><img src="http://a4.files.readwrite.com/image/upload/c_fill,cs_srgb,dpr_1.0,q_80,w_620/MTI4ODc1NDI1NDEyODcwMTE0.jpg" /><figcaption>&amp;nbsp;Consumer software lead Chris Hinkle and CEO Andreas Raptopoulos with their Matternet drone at SXSW.</figcaption></figure></div><h2>The Robots Are Coming! Hurray!</h2><p>At a SXSW “robot petting zoo,” Matternet’s drone was joined by machines built to respond in the case of a disaster or to take on essential tasks that would otherwise require lots of manpower or expensive equipment.</p><p>AirRobot, a sleek, stripped down traditional drone (i.e., an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unmanned_aerial_vehicle">unmanned aerial vehicle</a> resembling a pilotless plane), has responded to 18 out of the 43 disasters at which robots have been utilized by responders. It can fly much lower than a helicopter, giving crews more precise intelligence. It's been used at train crashes and mudslides to provide live video feeds of disaster. Teams can use the feed to monitor the situation and plan their response.</p><p>Halodrop, another drone at the zoo, uses live streams to monitor major infrastructure for damage. Instead of a five person crew working for a week, it can check, say, an entire bridge in three hours.</p><div tml-image="ci01c9db8a0001efe2" tml-image-caption="Muppette is made from off-the-shelf sensors and drone parts, but the team invented the 3D printing system." tml-render-layout="inline"><figure><img src="http://a5.files.readwrite.com/image/upload/c_fill,cs_srgb,dpr_1.0,q_80,w_620/MTI4ODc1NDI1NDEyOTc3OTM4.jpg" /><figcaption>Muppette is made from off-the-shelf sensors and drone parts, but the team invented the 3D printing system.</figcaption></figure></div><p>The most striking bot at the zoo was Muppette, the product of two architects who grew tired of the limited build area on their office’s 3D printer. They began building a 3D printing drone in their spare time with an off-the-shelf drone and sensors. A tube snakes out from the drone's belly, where it can deposit a concrete mix to build a temporary shelter. In the case of a disaster, it could effect temporary repairs to roads or other essential infrastructure.</p><p>There's no doubt that drones are entering our lives. The question is whether the world will see only the bad, or welcome the good.</p><p><em>Lead photo courtesy of Matternet; other photos by Signe Brewster for ReadWrite</em></p>In a disaster, robots can make all the difference.http://readwrite.com/2015/03/19/drones-smarter-more-capable-disaster-relief
http://readwrite.com/2015/03/19/drones-smarter-more-capable-disaster-reliefWebThu, 19 Mar 2015 13:15:28 -0700Signe BrewsterAlibaba Drone-Delivery Tests Head For Chinese Customers<!-- tml-version="2" --><div tml-image="ci01c6536d60019512" tml-image-caption="" tml-render-layout="inline"><figure><img src="http://a5.files.readwrite.com/image/upload/c_fill,cs_srgb,dpr_1.0,q_80,w_620/MTI3ODgxMzY4MTE2OTMxMjAz.jpg" /><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div><p>The Internet marketplace Alibaba has begun <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-04/alibaba-drones-fly-over-beijing-as-amazon-pleads-for-u-s-tests">live trials of a drone-based delivery system</a>&nbsp;in China, making it the latest e-commerce company to test remote-controlled copter deliveries with actual customers. It follows the Chinese courier company SF Express, which started experimenting with drone delivery <a href="http://www.scmp.com/news/china-insider/article/1302580/chinese-delivery-company-develops-drones-which-can-fly-packages">more than a year ago</a>.</p><p>Meanwhile, Amazon—which <a href="http://readwrite.com/2013/12/02/for-prime-air-to-become-a-reality-amazon-must-solve-these-problems-first">hyped the possibility of drone delivery</a> last November—has yet to receive approval for similar U.S. tests involving actual customers. While the company has been testing its proposed Prime Air service on its own U.S. property and in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/b?node=8037720011">unspecified overseas locations</a>, there's so far no indication that it's delivered test packages to urban residents the way Alibaba is doing.</p><blockquote tml-render-layout="inline"><p><strong>See also: <a href="http://readwrite.com/2015/01/26/drone-confusion-predator-multi-rotor-copter-new-word">Why We Need A New Word For Drones</a></strong></p></blockquote><p>Here's what Alibaba is doing, per Bloomberg:</p><blockquote tml-render-layout="inline"><p>Asia’s largest Internet company is partnering with Shanghai YTO Express Logistics Co. to deliver ginger tea packets to 450 Chinese customers who volunteered for the one-time drone tests, according to an e-mailed statement from Alibaba. Remote-controlled helicopters are expected to distribute 50 parcels from Alibaba’s Taobabo Marketplace in Beijing Wednesday, before moving to Shanghai and Guangzhou.</p></blockquote><p>The Alibaba tests are scheduled to run through Friday.</p><h2>Catching Some Air</h2><p>The prospect of drone delivery has captivated several of the largest Internet companies in the world. Amazon waits, like many others, for the FAA to issue regulations pertaining to unmanned aerial vehicles so it can launch <a href="http://www.amazon.com/b?node=8037720011">Amazon Prime Air</a>, which in theory will "safely get packages into customers' hands in 30 minutes or less."&nbsp;</p><p>Even Google likely has an interest in how the Alibaba tests go, as it's been testing its own drone program <a href="http://www.cnet.com/news/google-announces-project-wing-for-drone-deliveries/">in Australia</a>.&nbsp;</p><blockquote tml-render-layout="inline"><p><strong>See also: <a href="http://readwrite.com/2013/12/02/for-prime-air-to-become-a-reality-amazon-must-solve-these-problems-first">To Deliver With Prime Air Drones, Amazon Must Solve These Challenges First</a></strong></p></blockquote><p>Originally, the FAA said it planned to publish a draft of those regulations by the end of 2014. Reuters <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/12/31/us-usa-drone-regulation-idUSKBN0K913A20141231">reported</a> that the FAA had sent a draft of the new rules to the White House in October. An FAA spokesman told me that "[w]e are continuing to work with our administration colleagues to finish the rule. Our goal is to get the proposal right. We are looking to publish it as soon as possible."</p><p>The FAA has granted <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/03/us-usa-faa-drones-idUSKBN0L721Y20150203">several exemptions</a>&nbsp;for commercial drone use, though&nbsp;to Amazon's chagrin, deliveries still aren't an approved use&nbsp;<a href="http://readwrite.com/2014/07/11/amazon-prime-air-drones-faa-exemption-request">despite its best efforts</a>. Even once it gets FAA approval, Amazon has <a href="http://readwrite.com/2013/12/02/for-prime-air-to-become-a-reality-amazon-must-solve-these-problems-first">other obstacles</a> it needs to solve before its drone delivery system is finalized. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/28/us/white-house-drone.html?_r=0">A recent crash</a> onto the White House lawn has raised safety concerns regarding all drone pilots.&nbsp;</p><p>The Alibaba drone tests will need to comply with Chinese aviation rules. <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-04/alibaba-drones-fly-over-beijing-as-amazon-pleads-for-u-s-tests">According to Bloomberg</a>, the Chinese military relinquishes only about 20 percent of available airspace to civilian use, and Chinese authorities are still considering how to license drone pilots.&nbsp;</p><p><em>Photo courtesy of&nbsp;<a href="http://bbs.taobao.com/catalog/thread/508895-314816348.htm?spm=1.7274553.1997558069.2.aCu7t7">Alibaba</a></em></p>While Amazon watches and waits for the FAA.http://readwrite.com/2015/02/04/alibaba-drone-delivery-amazon-prime-air-faa
http://readwrite.com/2015/02/04/alibaba-drone-delivery-amazon-prime-air-faaHackWed, 04 Feb 2015 13:36:48 -0800Richard ProcterWhy We Need A New Word For Drones<!-- tml-version="2" --><p>Early on Monday morning, the Secret Service found a drone&nbsp;<a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2015/01/26/381550369/device-possibly-a-small-drone-discovered-on-white-house-grounds">on the White House grounds</a>. A White House&nbsp;spokesperson said it poses no threat. But it does—at least to the way we think about "drones."</p><p>Ordinarily, the White House is the launcher of drones, not a target of them. The executive branch has been criticized for using Predator drones to launch airstrikes that have <a href="http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2014/01/23/more-than-2400-dead-as-obamas-drone-campaign-marks-five-years/">left more than 2,400 dead</a>—more than 10% of those reportedly civilians.</p><p>So it seems just a little cavalier to say this new drone posed no threat to President Obama, his family or the White House staff. At least, that is, until&nbsp;you recall that the word “drone” has two meanings.&nbsp;</p><p>In a political context, of course, the word “drone” usually refers to deadly unmanned, quasi-military aerial vehicles armed with missiles. These days, though, the word also refers to inexpensive, lightweight, remote-controlled hobbyist vehicles. These quad, hex, and octo-copters, generally weighing less than three pounds, can be operated as toys, bird’s-eye-view cameras, or aerial package delivery services.</p><p>(Later Monday morning, the Secret Service clarified that it did indeed find a quadcopter at the White House.)</p><p>No wonder Amazon is having trouble convincing the U.S. government that its potential drone delivery service, Prime Air, would be harmless to Americans. After all, its would-be delivery vehicles share a moniker with a weapon used to kill people. </p><blockquote tml-render-layout="inline"><p><strong>See also: </strong><a href="http://readwrite.com/2014/07/11/amazon-prime-air-drones-faa-exemption-request"><strong>Amazon Tells The Feds It Really Wants To Test Drone Delivery</strong></a></p></blockquote><p>“Drone,” of course, has many other meanings as well. It can refer to a male honeybee, corporate sheeple or a humming or buzzing noise. It’s only in military terminology that it refers to a pilotless aircraft, giving the term its modern combatant tone. </p><h2>Let's Rename Drones</h2><p>A better term for unmanned hobbyist aircraft might be “multi-rotor copters.” That's more descriptive, since these vehicles typically need four or eight rotors to operate smoothly while hovering, taking off and landing.</p><p>And it's a distinctive term that would help avoid conflating different types of unmanned vehicles. Predator and Global Hawk drones, designed for far more distant flights, resemble warplanes without cockpits—not tiny copters. "Multi-rotor copters" also avoids the pitfalls of a term like "mini-drones," since weaponized drones will inevitably decrease in size, as all technology tends to.</p><p>Cases of mistaken drone identity are already cropping up. In late January, a small multi-rotor copter carrying crystal meth <a href="http://www.theverge.com/2015/1/22/7870651/drone-drugs-crystal-meth-tijuana-us-mexico-border">crashed near the U.S.-Mexico border</a>, apparently overburdened by its illicit load. After all, the drone pictured by the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/policiatijuana/posts/829170020509500">Secretaría de Seguridad Pública Tijuana</a> was designed for hobbies, not smuggling.</p><p>But the Latin Times&nbsp;chose to illustrate its story with a <a href="http://www.latintimes.com/mexican-drug-war-news-dea-reveals-cartels-use-drones-transport-drugs-mexico-us-190217">photo of a Predator drone</a>, though there is no evidence this type of drone was ever utilized. Expect more such mix-ups, given that&nbsp;a DEA spokesperson told a Mexican news outlet in 2012 that there have been over 150 attempts to carry drugs over the border via drone.</p><p>When drones make the news, it’s never immediately clear if we ought to be marveling at technical advancements or running for our lives. Consider this my vote for the term “multi-rotor copters,” which we can instantly recognize as mostly harmless.&nbsp;</p><p><em><a href="http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Drone_with_GoPro_digital_camera_mounted_underneath_-_22_April_2013.jpg">DJI Phantom</a> and&nbsp;<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Atomics_MQ-1_Predator#mediaviewer/File:MQ-1_Predator_unmanned_aircraft.jpg">Predator drone</a> photos via Wikimedia Commons</em></p>Hobbyist devices or killing machines? Right now, they're both.http://readwrite.com/2015/01/26/drone-confusion-predator-multi-rotor-copter-new-word
http://readwrite.com/2015/01/26/drone-confusion-predator-multi-rotor-copter-new-wordWebMon, 26 Jan 2015 09:06:01 -0800Lauren OrsiniGear For The DIY Maker: ReadWrite's 2014 Gift Guide<!-- tml-version="2" --><p>Makers and DIY hardware hackers know better than anyone that technology is most awesome when you know how to use it.&nbsp;</p><p><em><strong>See also:</strong></em></p><ul><li><strong><a href="http://readwrite.com/2014/11/29/smartphone-apple-android-holiday-gift-guide-2014"><em>Smartphones: ReadWrite's 2014 Holiday Gift Guide</em></a></strong></li><li><strong><em><a href="http://readwrite.com/2014/11/25/smart-home-holiday-gift-guide-2014">Smart Home Gadgets: ReadWrite's 2014 Holiday Gift Guide</a></em></strong></li><li><strong><em><a href="http://readwrite.com/2014/11/26/wearable-smartwatch-holiday-gift-guide-2014">Smartwatches And Other Wearables: ReadWrite's 2014 Holiday Gift Guide</a><a href="http://readwrite.com/2014/11/25/maker-gear-holiday-guide-2014"></a></em></strong></li><li><em><a href="http://readwrite.com/2014/11/27/tv-streaming-set-top-box-stick-dongle-chromecast-holiday-gift-guide-2014"><strong>TV Streaming Gadgets: ReadWrite's 2014 Holiday Gift Guide</strong></a></em></li></ul><p>This year, we've made a list of toys for any kind of maker, whether they specialize in drones, 3D printing, or Raspberry Pi. Give the gift of education and creativity this year with one of these awesome kits for doing just about any tech project yourself.</p><h2>Hardware Hacking</h2><div tml-image="ci01c023cfc0019512" tml-image-caption=""><figure><img src="http://a5.files.readwrite.com/image/upload/c_fill,cs_srgb,w_620/MTI2MTQwMTYzOTQ3NTU2ODM0.png" /><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div><p><strong>Our pick: </strong><a href="http://shop.pimoroni.com/products/unicorn-hat"><strong>Pimoroni Unicorn HAT, $38</strong></a></p><p>We saw two <a href="http://readwrite.com/2014/11/10/raspberry-pi-releases-model-a-plus">new Raspberry</a> <a href="http://readwrite.com/2014/07/14/five-things-to-know-about-the-raspberry-pi-model-b">Pi models</a> in 2014, the B+ and A+, and dozens of accessory creators have already built some awesome add-ons. We loved Pimoroni’s <a href="http://shop.pimoroni.com/products/pibow-raspberry-pi-case">Pibow</a> rainbow case for the Raspberry Pi, (you can see it in some of our tutorials <a href="http://readwrite.com/2014/03/04/raspberry-pi-quantified-fish-acquarium#awesm=~oCdI9vLc3KPY2N">earlier this year</a>). This rainbow HAT, short for “Hardware Attached on Top,” seriously ups the ante.</p><p>Equipped with an 8x8 matrix of 64 RGB LEDs, the Unicorn HAT offers a vast number of visual programming possibilities. You can, for instance, use Python to write a program that instructs your Pi to blink the lights in myriad patterns of your own design. For more options, you can "fork" Pimoroni’s <a href="https://github.com/pimoroni/UnicornHat">GitHub repo</a>—that is, modify its code for your own purposes.&nbsp;We've embedded a company video, because you have got to see this in action:</p><p><strong>Runners-up:</strong></p><ul><li><strong><a href="https://www.sparkfun.com/products/12825">LCD Keypad Kit for Raspberry Pi, $20</a></strong></li><li><strong><a href="https://www.sparkfun.com/products/10628">SparkFun MP3 Player Shield, $40</a></strong></li></ul><h2>Build A Robot<strong></strong></h2><div tml-image="ci01c023d930019512" tml-image-caption=""><figure><img src="http://a5.files.readwrite.com/image/upload/c_fill,cs_srgb,w_620/MTI2MTQwMjA0NzQ5NzIyODk4.png" /><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div><p><strong>Our pick:</strong><a href="http://shop.lego.com/en-US/LEGO-MINDSTORMS-EV3-31313"> <strong>Lego Mindstorms, $350</strong></a></p><p>Lego has certainly evolved quite a lot from those colorful building blocks of your childhood. It has offered <a href="http://education.lego.com/en-us/preschool-and-school/secondary/11plus-mindstorms-education/rcx">programmable bricks since 1998,</a> and its latest offering, the EV3, is its most sophisticated yet. Sure, $350 seems like a lot to spend on a kids’ toy—a lot, that is, until you realize that it’s really a learn-to-program tool for all ages. </p><p>Mindstorms comes with an “intelligent brick” that serves as the brain to anything you’d want to program or build with the kit. It's possible to build all kinds of robots with Lego bricks; the kit comes with instructions for building up five different robot models. The latest version also allows for Bluetooth control from your mobile devices. </p><p><strong>Runners-up:</strong></p><ul><li><strong><a href="http://www.makershed.com/products/make-rovera-2wd-arduino-robot-kit">MAKE Rovera 2WD Arduino Robot Kit, $170</a></strong></li><li><strong><a href="http://www.adafruit.com/products/1529">Hexy - Programmable Hexapod Kit, $250</a></strong></li></ul><h2>3D Printer</h2><div tml-image="ci01c023dc60012a83" tml-image-caption=""><figure><img src="http://a4.files.readwrite.com/image/upload/c_fill,cs_srgb,w_620/MTI2MTQwMjE4NDM5OTU0NDAy.png" /><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div><p><strong>Our pick: </strong><a href="http://printrbot.com/shop/simple-makers-kit/"><strong>Printrbot Simple, $349</strong></a></p><p>This is the least expensive 3D printer on the market (which still isn’t saying very much), but it doesn’t sacrifice quality for affordability. This 3D printer offers high resolution printing for small household items about the size of chess pieces, bottle openers, or belt buckles. </p><p>Since you operate it through a USB connection, there aren’t any controls on the printer itself. Instead, you program the item you want to make into the Printrbot Simple software, which runs&nbsp;on your PC,&nbsp;and let it go from there. It isn’t professional grade and can’t print anything as large as an iPhone case, but it’s an efficient, functional, and fun introduction to 3D printing for hobbyists. </p><p><strong>Runners-up:</strong></p><ul><li><strong><a href="http://giftguide.makezine.com/detail/3d-printers/detail-ditto-pro.html">Ditto Pro, $1900</a></strong></li><li><strong><a href="http://www.makershed.com/products/afinia-h480?utm_source=makezine.com&amp;utm_medium=ads&amp;utm_campaign=holiday+gift+guide+3d+printers&amp;utm_term=Afinia+H480">Just Hit Print, $1300</a></strong></li></ul><h2>Handmade Wearables</h2><div tml-image="ci01c023e5300299de" tml-image-caption=""><figure><img src="http://a5.files.readwrite.com/image/upload/c_fill,cs_srgb,dpr_1.0,q_80,w_620/MTI2MTQwMjU2MDIwODk0OTk0.jpg" /><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div><p><strong>Our pick: </strong><a href="http://www.adafruit.com/product/1657"><strong>Adafruit Gemma Starter Pack, $30</strong></a></p><p>From DIY electronics superstore Adafruit comes Gemma, the thinnest and tiniest wearable platform board—that is, a computer so small you can sew into your clothes. It’s an ultra-low power microcontroller<strong>&nbsp;</strong>that will manage your soft circuits without making your clothes or other fabric projects uncomfortably hot.</p><p>Adafruit has done a number of example projects using Gemma as the central hub, including <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Edya0ppWco">LED galaxy makeup</a> perfect for costume parties, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrwxI9GXKUU">rainbow hoop earrings</a>, and a light up <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpRVCui5dt8">belt buckle</a>, for starters. This kit comes with LED neopixels and conductive thread, so you can bring your hardware hacking projects to a fabric format&nbsp;and have Gemma be the brain. </p><p><strong>Runners-up:</strong></p><ul><li><strong><a href="http://www.adafruit.com/product/1458">FLORA sensor pack, $70</a></strong></li><li><strong><a href="https://www.sparkfun.com/products/12073">LilyPad Design Kit, $80</a></strong></li></ul><h2>DIY Drone</h2><div tml-image="ci01c023e85001efe2" tml-image-caption=""><figure><img src="http://a4.files.readwrite.com/image/upload/c_fill,cs_srgb,w_620/MTI2MTQwMjY5NDQyNjkxMDQy.png" /><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div><p><strong>Our pick: </strong><strong><a href="http://www.aeroquadstore.com/AeroQuad_Cyclone_ARF_Kit_p/aqarf-001.htm">AeroQuad Cyclone ARF Kit, $535</a></strong></p><p>Having a drone is one thing. But having a drone you’ve built completely from scratch to your exact specifications is something altogether more special. The AeroQuad is a powerful Arduino-based drone that you can build yourself.&nbsp;</p><p>The AeroQuad Cyclone kit isn’t cheap, but it comes with everything you need to build a functioning multi-rotor copter that you can program for aerial photography, recreational reconnaissance, and more. AeroQuad is also completely open source, so you can <a href="https://github.com/AeroQuad/AeroQuad">fork the drone's software on GitHub</a>&nbsp;to modify and contribute to its code—and have as much control over the software as the hardware.</p><p><strong>Runners Up:</strong></p><ul><li><strong><a href="http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/Crazyflie-Nano-Quadcopter-Kit-10DOF-with-Crazyradio-BCCFK02B-p-1365.html?cPath=84_114">Crazyflie Nano Quadcopter Kit, $143</a></strong></li><li><strong><a href="http://store.3drobotics.com/products/diy-quad-kit">3DR DIY Quad Kit, $550</a></strong></li></ul><p><em>Photos via Pimoroni, LEGO, PrintrBot, <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/sparkfun/15429942582/">SparkFun Electronics</a>, and AeroQuad</em></p>Awesome DIY kits any hacker would adore.http://readwrite.com/2014/11/25/maker-gear-holiday-guide-2014
http://readwrite.com/2014/11/25/maker-gear-holiday-guide-2014PlayTue, 25 Nov 2014 14:39:36 -0800Lauren OrsiniLeaked FAA Proposal Forecasts Turbulence For Drone Rules<!-- tml-version="2" --><div tml-image="ci01be6475f0019512" tml-image-caption=""><figure><img src="http://a2.files.readwrite.com/image/upload/c_fill,cs_srgb,dpr_1.0,q_80,w_620/MTI1NjQ4Mjk2NTA4MTY3NDQy.jpg" /><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div><p>Federal guidelines for commercial-drone use <a href="http://online.wsj.com/news/article_email/drone-flights-face-faa-hit-1416793905-lMyQjAxMTA0OTIwMzkyODMwWj">may be even harsher than expected</a>, the <em>Wall Street Journal<a href="http://online.wsj.com/news/article_email/drone-flights-face-faa-hit-1416793905-lMyQjAxMTA0OTIwMzkyODMwWj"></a></em>&nbsp;reports.</p><p>The WSJ apparently got hold of the FAA’s drafted rules through anonymous sources. Among other restrictions, the prospective rules would require drone operators to hold a pilot’s license and would ban drone flights outside of daylight hours.</p><p>Currently, the FAA requires would-be commercial-drone operators to obtain case-by-case basis approval. Efforts to lift the restrictions have been slow. The FAA has been working on guidelines for the better part of two years and plans to have them finalized <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/07/us-faa-drones-idUSBRE9A61H220131107">by September 2015</a>. </p><blockquote><p><strong>See also: </strong><a href="http://readwrite.com/2014/03/07/faa-commercial-drones-regulation-lacks-authority-federal-judge"><strong>Why Commercial Drones Are Stuck In Regulatory Limbo</strong></a></p></blockquote><p>However, recreational drone use has surged. Aircraft pilots are increasingly <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-11-20/drone-sightings-by-pilots-near-jfk-airport-under-u-s-faa-review.html">reporting drone sightings</a> alongside planes, and are concerned about collisions. However, some drone supporters believe the FAA’s intense restrictions, including the need for a manned pilot’s license to operate a small drone, have gone too far. For example, the ruling would group all drones weighing 55 pounds or less under one set of rules. That would impose the same rules on hobbyist machines and significantly larger commercial drones alike. </p><p>“[The rule will be] so divorced from the technology and the aspirations of this industry … that we’re going to see a loud rejection,” Michael Drobac, executive director of the Small UAV Coalition, an advocacy group for drone makers, told the WSJ.</p><p>To be fair, the WSJ story has the hallmarks of a leak from drone proponents, quite likely one intended to help organize opposition to the FAA rules. We may not be getting the whole story, and we won’t know for sure until the FAA discloses its final decision.</p><p><em>Photo by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/69214385@N04/8725078749/">Don McCullough</a></em></p>Pilot licenses for drone operators, anyone?http://readwrite.com/2014/11/24/faa-drone-rules-proposal-leaked-wsj
http://readwrite.com/2014/11/24/faa-drone-rules-proposal-leaked-wsjHackMon, 24 Nov 2014 09:14:08 -0800Lauren OrsiniShooting Your Neighbor's Drone May Be Illegal—And It May Not<!-- tml-version="2" --><p>A man allegedly&nbsp;shot down his neighbor’s drone<a href="http://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/new-jersey-man-allegedly-shoots-neighbors-drone/"></a>&nbsp;over the Jersey Shore last week, after it reportedly flew over his property. Russell J. Percenti, 32, was arrested&nbsp;and charged with&nbsp;possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and criminal mischief," but his predicament has opened up a slew of legal questions.</p><p>The neighbor said he’d been flying the device over a friend’s home to photograph construction when he heard some gunshots and immediately lost control of the drone. When he recovered the drone, he noticed the bullet holes <a href="http://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/new-jersey-man-allegedly-shoots-neighbors-drone/">and contacted the police.&nbsp;</a></p><p>There's a growing movement over the legality of shooting down drones. In 2013, a gun owner named Phil Steel introduced a proposal to issue drone-hunting licenses in his town of Deer Trail, Colorado. <a href="http://www.latimes.com/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-drone-hunting-law-rejected-colorado20140402-story.html">The proposal failed</a>, but Steel said he planned &nbsp;to sell drone-hunting licenses online and all over the country. Meanwhile, Montana state legislator Matt Rosendale used a <a href="http://www.nationaljournal.com/tech/watch-a-congressional-candidate-shoot-down-a-government-drone-20140416">drone-shooting stunt</a> as part of a political campaign. </p><p>There’s also the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIXwQVFt8Ho">Salvo 12 Shotgun Silencer</a>, which advertises itself with a mascot named Johnny Dronehunter, a tough looking guy who shoots down six DJI Phantoms in one go in the name of defending privacy. Phantoms are hobby copters that go for $600 a pop and carry nothing more lethal than cameras. </p><blockquote><p><strong>See also: </strong><a href="http://readwrite.com/2013/11/01/quadcopters-you-must-see"><strong>Five Quintessential Quadcopters</strong></a></p></blockquote><p>As drones that begin to dot America’s skies, they may start fighting back. The <a href="http://www.desert-wolf.com/dw/products/unmanned-aerial-systems/skunk-riot-control-copter.html">Skunk Riot Control Copter</a>, for instance, is armed with paint-ball cannons that fire off 80 pepper balls per second for “crowd suppression.” </p><p>Legally, drone hunting is still a gray area. The <a href="http://www.apainc.org/(S(fcxbywqqevm5y3yplrtrvb45))/default.aspx?MenuItemID=94&amp;MenuSubID=26&amp;MenuGroup=Become+a+Member&amp;&amp;AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1">castle doctrine</a> of common law posits that people have the right to defend their homes from attack. This isn’t extended to the sky above people’s homes, however. Otherwise airplanes would be in trouble. <a href="http://www.law.washington.edu/directory/Profile.aspx?ID=713">Ryan Calo</a>, a robotics and cyber-law scholar at the University of Washington, said that the danger would have to be pretty apparent for you to be able to legally gun down a drone.</p><p>“You would probably have to be threatened physically, or another person or maybe your property, for you to be able to destroy someone else’s drone without fear of a counterclaim,” he told <a href="https://gigaom.com/2014/10/01/can-you-shoot-down-a-drone-on-your-land-new-incident-raises-self-defense-questions/">Gigaom</a>. </p><blockquote><p><strong>See also: </strong><a href="http://readwrite.com/2014/03/07/faa-commercial-drones-regulation-lacks-authority-federal-judge"><strong>Why Commercial Drones Are Stuck In Regulatory Limbo</strong></a></p></blockquote><p>Currently only hobby drones are allowed to fly in American airspace, so it’s extremely unlikely that a drone would threaten your property. Perhaps it’ll be easier to take drone-hunting licenses more seriously if and when drones become a problem.</p><p><em><strong>Update 9:40 a.m.: </strong>A previous version of this story incorrectly credited the source publication.&nbsp;</em></p><p><em>Screenshot via <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIXwQVFt8Ho">Silencerco</a></em></p>A man's home is his castle, but he can't own the sky.http://readwrite.com/2014/10/03/you-cant-shoot-down-a-drone
http://readwrite.com/2014/10/03/you-cant-shoot-down-a-droneWorkFri, 03 Oct 2014 08:01:40 -0700Lauren OrsiniFacebook Aspires To Jumbo Drones The Size Of Boeing 747s<!-- tml-version="2" --><p>Facebook wants to beam Internet to the nearly two-thirds of the planet that don’t have access. Now, the company has revealed some astonishing details about how it plans to do it. </p><blockquote><p><strong>See also: </strong><strong><a href="http://readwrite.com/2014/04/03/facebook-whatsapp-oculus-drones-lasers">Why No One Trusts Facebook To Power The Future</a></strong></p></blockquote><p>Yael Maguire, the engineering director at Facebook's Connectivity Lab, said the drones in development will each be the size of a Boeing 747 jumbo jet and stay in the air for years. </p><p>"In order for us to fly these planes—unmanned planes that have to fly for months, or perhaps years at a time—we actually have to fly above the weather, above all airspace," Maguire said <a href="http://mashable.com/2014/09/23/facebook-drones-internet-org/">during an interview</a> at the Social Good Summit in New York City on Monday. "That's between 60,000 and 90,000 feet. Routinely, planes don't fly there, and certainly not drones."</p><p>To keep the drones in the air for months or years, Facebook plans to use solar power. Solar energy will allow the planes to keep flying while they beam Internet around the world and use lasers to communicate with systems on the ground. </p><blockquote><p><strong>See also:&nbsp;<a href="http://readwrite.com/2014/09/24/facebook-news-pew-internet">Facebook Delivers News To 30% Of U.S. Adults</a></strong></p></blockquote><p>Needless to say, the technology isn’t quite there yet. The Connectivity Lab has developed a timeline that aspires to get the first plane in the air by 2015. After that it’ll still be an optimistic three to five years of testing before the aircrafts will begin to provide Internet. </p><p>"We have to push the edge of battery technology, of solar technology, of composite technology,” said Macguire. “There are a whole bunch of challenges that our team is super excited to work on."</p><p><em>Photo by&nbsp;</em><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/aero_icarus/4904342045/"><em>Aero Icarus</em></a></p>Like the photo above, but unmanned and laser-powered.http://readwrite.com/2014/09/25/facebook-internet-giant-internet-laser-drone
http://readwrite.com/2014/09/25/facebook-internet-giant-internet-laser-droneWebThu, 25 Sep 2014 09:12:24 -0700Lauren OrsiniThe Era Of The Drone Has Arrived<!-- tml-version="2" --><div tml-image="ci01a87e1f6ed9860f" tml-image-caption="Skycatch's Christian Sanz, Box's Aaron Levie, NASA's Parimal Kopardekar"><figure><img src="http://a3.files.readwrite.com/image/upload/c_fill,cs_srgb,dpr_1.0,q_80,w_620/MTIzNjEzMTkwNDM5NDA1MDcw.jpg" /><figcaption>Skycatch's Christian Sanz, Box's Aaron Levie, NASA's Parimal Kopardekar</figcaption></figure></div><p>Drones are transitioning from military use to big business. So says Aaron Levie, CEO of cloud storage system <a href="https://www.box.com/">Box</a>, Wednesday in San Francisco.</p><p>Levie was joined by <a href="http://www.skycatch.com/">Skycatch</a>’s Christian Sanz and <a href="http://www.nasa.gov/">NASA</a>’s&nbsp;Parimal Kopardekar&nbsp;for a&nbsp;TechCrunch Disrupt panel aptly titled “Game of Drones." The trio hit the Disrupt stage followed by a tiny drone with a video camera that panned over the crowd, broadcasting its footage on the hall’s huge screens.&nbsp;</p><p>The big questions for the drone panel was accessibility of the flying robots, uses, and safety.&nbsp;</p><p>Given the video feed taken from the panel’s small, mosquito-like drone, many are concerned about what a drone-filled sky means for civilian privacy, not to mention safety.</p><p>Drones randomly dropping on people’s heads is a possibility that can be mechanically addressed. But the main conundrum is that domestic drone safety standards are fuzzy at best. Levie says that with no precedent to work with, we must look to the government to create specific privacy and safety laws regarding drones.&nbsp;</p><p>“We see people like Richard Branson and Martha Stewart flying drones,” says Levie. “But these are the flashiest cases, and we’re only seeing the initial use. We’re still in the hobbyist drone phase."</p><p>Drones have the ability to collect massive amounts of geographical data, meaning that these robots can aid projects like oil spill cleanups and search and rescue missions. The future is "going to be less about Martha Stewart and more about these scenarios," Levie says. "If you’re an entrepreneur today, that’s where you should be putting your bets in this space.”&nbsp;</p><p>Levie also says this change is happening because the ecosystem and public understanding of drones is evolving as well.</p><p>Drones first had a military connotation, like the Air Force’s unmanned aerial vehicles <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Atomics_MQ-1_Predator">Predator</a> and<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Atomics_MQ-9_Reaper"> Reaper</a>. The highest end use cases then transformed into hobbyist use cases, which have gained traction in the past five years.&nbsp;</p><p>“It was in that time that cost curve dropped dramatically,” says Levie, “Now drone components make it efficient and cheap for enterprises to augment drones for their own uses and labor. We are now seeing drones in commerce use cases, in public safety, municipality. It is now the era where you will see drones in any types of business.”&nbsp;</p><p><em>Images by Selena Larson</em></p>Box's Aaron Levie believes in the good of the flying robot.http://readwrite.com/2014/09/10/drones-era-aaron-levie
http://readwrite.com/2014/09/10/drones-era-aaron-levieHackWed, 10 Sep 2014 13:55:49 -0700Stephanie Ellen ChanGoogle Challenges Amazon's Drone Delivery Program With Project Wing<!-- tml-version="2" --><p>Google has been secretly testing delivery by drone, the company announced Thursday.<strong></strong></p><p>A team of engineers at Google X, the technology company’s long-range research lab, safely carried out more than 30 1-kilometer test flights this month. The deliveries, consisting of items ranging from a chocolate bar to first aid, took place in Queensland, Australia to avoid the Federal Aviation Administration’s strict U.S. restrictions on drones.</p><blockquote><p><strong>See also: <a href="http://readwrite.com/2014/03/07/faa-commercial-drones-regulation-lacks-authority-federal-judge">Why Commercial Drones Are Stuck In Regulatory Limbo</a></strong></p></blockquote><p>Now that Amazon has almost convinced the world its delivery drones aren’t a publicity stunt, the world may be ready to accepting Google at its word. </p><p>The Google X drone is a <a href="http://readwrite.com/2013/11/01/quadcopters-you-must-see">quadcopter</a>, but it looks nothing like the ones many U.S. hobbyists use for aerial photography and other projects, or Amazon’s Prime Air <a href="http://www.wired.com/2013/12/physics-of-the-amazon-prime-air-drone/">octocopter</a>. Instead, it relies on fixed wings for fast forward flight, and its four rotors for vertical takeoff and landing. The company released a YouTube video to show how it flies.</p><p>Project Wing, as the video labels the drone, is capable of carrying a roughly <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2737228/Google-reveals-self-flying-delivery-drones-Amazon-s-package-dropping-project.html">four-pound package</a>. Meanwhile, Amazon says Prime Air can carry <a href="http://www.wired.com/2013/12/physics-of-the-amazon-prime-air-drone/">up to five pounds</a>. Despite the design differences, it’s apparent that Google’s drone could realistically compete with Amazon’s.</p><blockquote><p><strong>See also: <a href="http://readwrite.com/2014/07/11/amazon-prime-air-drones-faa-exemption-request">Amazon Tells The Feds It Really Wants To Test Drone Delivery</a></strong></p></blockquote><p>According to Astro Teller, Google X’s Captain of Moonshots—what Google calls its biggest, craziest ideas—delivery is just the beginning. Google envisions being able to use the drones for humanitarian solutions, too. </p><p>“Even just a few of these, being able to shuttle nearly continuously could service a very large number of people in an emergency situation,” Teller told the <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-28964260">BBC</a>.</p><p><em>Screenshot via Google X</em></p>Coming to an Australia near you.http://readwrite.com/2014/08/29/google-x-project-wing-drone-amazon-delivery
http://readwrite.com/2014/08/29/google-x-project-wing-drone-amazon-deliveryWorkFri, 29 Aug 2014 08:22:19 -0700Lauren Orsini